Loquendo, a provider of speech technologies throughout the world, and Umanify, a startup focused on developing innovative interactive digital assistants, have worked together to develop a speech-enabled Interactive Digital Assistant for Apple’s iPhone (News - Alert).

 

The Interactive Digital Assistant “IDA” for Mobile from Umanify is a client application powered by Loquendo (News - Alert) Embedded TTS. As such, this solution can significantly lower the bandwidth requirements on the mobile data connection as information is transferred in text format and the visual and audio rendering is processed locally. The result is lower connection costs along with a rapid response.

Users can benefit from the highest quality speech synthesis as a result of the Loquendo Embedded TTS. This feature offers an impressive emotional range, much like what users have come to expect from Loquendo TTS for desktop and server.

'Umanify has created a genuinely pioneering application for a simple and enjoyable user experience,' says Paolo Coppo, Loquendo VP of Marketing and Business Development, in a statement. 'Umanify have paved the way for more speech-enabled mobile applications, making access to Web content ever more satisfying and productive.'

With the Umanify IDA (News - Alert), Spanish iPhone users gain mobile and speech-enabled access to the Spanish Institute for Foreign Trade “ICEX” Web site. Users can select the site content that most interests them and access it directly from their phone. This content is read out to them by one of Umanify’s IDA, complete with life-like facial expressions, synchronized with Loquendo’s expressive speech.

'User-centric technologies enable human activity in a variety of contexts, adapting to and serving the user satisfactorily, transparently, anywhere and at any time - and not the contrary. Umanify has successfully applied this concept to the ICEX digital assistant,' Carlos Gonzales, director, IT division, ICEX, said.

Umanify can rely on Loquendo’s award-winning speech synthesis technology to ensure its IDAs can communicate in a truly lifelike way to produce a whole new experience for today’s demanding phone users, and a richer and more intuitive way to interact with technology.

'By integrating Loquendo speech engines with Umanify’s natural interaction technology and multimodal interfaces, ICEX’s digital iPhone assistant is one of the most advanced and innovative of the market', said Fran Martin, CEO Umanify.

Umanify’s ICEX IDA for mobile is now available for the latest Nokia (News - Alert) smartphones. The company is ensuring new models are made compatible all the time. In the future, Nokia will also offer users Loquendo Speech Recognition technology for full hands-free interaction.